Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Akali Leader's Plea Against High Court Ruling

Supreme Court to Review Akali Leader's Bail Denial

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition from Bikram Singh Majithia, a leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal, challenging a ruling by the Punjab and Haryana High Court that denied him bail in a case involving disproportionate assets.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and N.V. Anjaria issued a notice on Majithia's petition and scheduled a hearing for January 19. However, the court rejected his interim bail application.

In its order dated December 4, the High Court dismissed Majithia's bail plea, citing the potential risk of influencing the investigation.

The High Court had instructed the Punjab Vigilance Bureau to complete its investigation within three months, after which Majithia could seek bail again.

During the Supreme Court proceedings, senior advocate S. Murli Dhar, representing Majithia, noted that the petitioner had previously been granted bail in a case registered under the NDPS Act of 1985.

He further mentioned that the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea from the Punjab government challenging the bail granted to him. Majithia was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on June 25 for allegedly accumulating assets worth ₹540 crores beyond his known sources of income. This case is linked to a drug-related investigation conducted by a special investigation team of the Punjab Police in 2021.